Happy Spring! With the coming of spring also comes my favorite holiday – Easter! With it only being a few weeks away. now is a good time to start planning some fun and meaningful traditions to do with your family. On today’s podcast I’m sharing some simple suggestions to stir your creativity. When Easter arrives you will have had some fun family times together while teaching and emphasizing the message of the cross and the empty tomb to your children. Listen and be inspired about what you can do!
Go here for the recipe for this yummy cake, perfect for Easter!
Easter weekend is my FAVORITE weekend in the whole year! It encapsulates the reason I can face tomorrow – Jesus is alive! No matter what we’re facing today – even with all the craziness, confusion, unrest, hatred and division, the truth that Christ arose from the tomb promises us all victory over sin, death and hell!
Because of that, I believe we should celebrate to the hilt!
Let’s magnify Christ!
Let’s share the Good News of eternal life that comes by placing our trust in Jesus alone for salvation!
Here are a few ways I’m celebrating Easter this weekend:
Reading the chapters in John about Jesus’ death and resurrection. I love to read the Scriptures early in the morning and think about the women at the tomb and the joy that filled their hearts to learn that their Savior was alive! Their joy is MY joy!
Resurrection Rolls – This treat is such a fun and delicious way to remind children of the elementary facts of Christ’s resurrection from the tomb. Here’s the idea – A simple marshmallow is rolled in melted butter, then tossed in cinnamon and sugar, reminiscent of Jesus’ body being covered by spices before He was buried. The crescent roll is wrapped around the marshmallow, reminding us that Jesus body was wrapped in linen cloth. The roll is then placed in a muffin tin, reminding us of the tomb where Jesus was laid. The pan is then put into the oven to bake, and in about 12 -14 minutes, the baked rolls can be eaten.
When you open the rolls up you find the inside (the tomb) is EMPTY! My grandsons loved this activity!
Resurrection Rolls
Ingredients
8-ounce package refrigerated crescent roll dough
8 regular-sized marshmallows
4 tablespoons butter, melted
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 8 wells in a muffin tin with baking cups (for easier clean up) or spray the wells with non-stick cooking spray.
2. Unroll crescent dough and divide into 8 triangles at the perforations
3. Mix sugar and cinnamon together in shallow bowl.
4. Dip marshmallow in melted butter, then in cinnamon and sugar.
5. Place marshmallow in the middle of a crescent roll. Wrap dough tightly around the marshmallow, making sure there are no openings.
6. Place roll in muffin tin. Repeat with the rest of the rolls. Brush rolls with remaining butter and sugar.
7. Bake at 350 for 12-14 minutes. Cool sightly before serving.
Good Friday Service – Today is Good Friday and my church is having a Good Friday service at 3:00 in the afternoon. I always LOVE these afternoon services! We will be observing the Lord’s Supper, singing, reading Scripture, and being reminded of the sacrifice of Jesus’ death. If you’re in the area, we would love for you to join us. Here is the link to our website where you can find the address at the bottom of the Home Page.
Sunday service – Of course I’ll also be attending Easter service at church on Suinday. Remembering back to last year when we were unable to get together makes me doubly thankful to be able to meet together to worship and praise the Lord with other believers! Again, if you don’t have a church home, we welcome you to attend! Go here to learn the times of the services.
Cake – My family will also get together to enjoy an Easter dinner after church. It will include this traditional Coconut Cake with Lemon Filling! We’re all a little very excited about that!
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If you need something a whole lot simpler for your Easter dessert, here’s a cute little bunny sundae my dad always made for our family every year. Everyone could make their own and add what they like. You could even have a contest to see whose bunny is the “Best dressed!”
All this takes is a scoop of ice cream, some whipped topping, coconut, for whiskers Jelly beans, M&M’s or chocolate chips for his face, and some banana slices for ears.
I pray that your Easter weekend is filled with the joy of the risen Savior! He loves you and died in your place so you could have eternal life in Him. That’s the only thing that will truly refresh you for now and all eternity!
A Couple weeks ago I shared with you that we had Party Ryes for our Christmas Eve dinner. If they weren’t on the menu, we would have had a riot, I believe! They are a tradition in our house, and the reason is because they are just YUMMY! A few ingredients mixed together and spread on a piece of Pumpernickel bread and then toasted in the oven, and you have a fantastic appetizer or addition to your soup! Here’s the simple recipe from Taste of Home:
Party Ryes
Ingredients
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Swiss cheese
1 cup mayonnaise
1 can (4-1/4 ounces) chopped ripe olives – ( Personal preference, We leave this out)
30 slices snack rye bread – (We use Pumpernickel bread)
Directions
Preheat oven to 450°. In a small bowl, combine the first six ingredients. Spread a rounded tablespoonful over each slice of bread. Place on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake 6-8 minutes or until cheese is melted.Yield: 2-1/2 dozen.
It doesn’t have to be Christmas to serve these! Any time you need a scrumptious appetizer is the perfect time to whip this recipe up!
I’m joining up with Whitney at Come Home for Comfort to share a video concerning practical ways to have a simple Christmas. After watching my video, you can check out Whitney’s Christmas video here. There are lots of others who have contributed their videos with fun ideas for Christmas! Be sure to look at this list and see what these ladies have to share – this is going to be tons of fun!
Mealtimes as a family are important. It helps you connect, teach, relate, understand, regroup, rest, refresh, encourage, and be nourished physically, spiritually and emotionally as a family. It takes lots of effort to make it happen, doesn’t it? So while you’ve got everyone there, let’s make the most of it!!
Last Sunday night at church my husband finished a series on the home. He ended the message by giving suggestions and taking responses from the congregation about how to make the most of suppertime and after the meal-time. Here’s the list I compiled in my notebook. These are great ideas!
Create conversation.
Talk about God’s Word
Talk about answered prayer
Talk about what God is doing in your life!
Play a board game afterward.
Read a book together. You could use missionary biographies, fictional fun books, or devotional books.
Take a family walk in the neighborhood.
Call meal time a “No Phone Zone.” No phones at the table.
Lay a puzzle out on the cleared table and assemble it together.
Walk the dog as a family.
Eat in the dining room with cloth napkins, candles and a centerpiece. Make it happen at a regular time and shoot for 5 x’s a week.
Occasionally eat together at a “fancy” restaurant so you can give your children the experience and training (and also the treat!) of a nicer place out. Your preparations at home will have them ready and you won’t have to “sweat it out!”
Sing after the meal.
I love having my family gathered around the dinner table – even if it’s just my husband and me! It’s a special time of day and we need to do all we can to maximize that time!
Tell me: What do you do to make the most of mealtime?
RefreshHer 